Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond: Fit For Life

How to Get Fit for Life – And Have Fun Doing It

“I used to be very competitive,” says Coach John Hughes. “I set two still-standing ultra-cycling records across two states. I set course records at two qualifiers for the Race Across AMerica. I did solo RAAM and have ridden seven 1,200K brevets. As I got older, though, I started exercising more for fun and fitness and less to prove anything.

“And while road cycling remains my primary sport, I’ve incorporated a number of other sports and activities into my overall recreation.” The result: “I’m fitter than I’ve been for years – and I’ve had more FUN getting this fit than I’ve had in years!”

The crux of the matter is this, says Coach Hughes: Different physiological systems worsen with age, and by exercising in different ways you can stay fitter than if you just ride your road bike.

Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond: Fit for Life discusses the normal changes our bodies undergo as we age, and how these changes affect our athletic capabilities. It also lays out Hughes’ concept of Athletic Maturity, a way of gauging how well you are managing the normal aging process. The more mature that you are as an athlete (anyone who exercises regularly), the fitter you are overall, the more you’ve slowed the inevitable decline that comes with aging. And it shows you how to evaluate (or re-evaluate, if you’ve already taken the quiz) your Athletic Maturity.

The article shows how you can exercise in different ways to be fitter for life and have fun. It provides a variety of exercise options available to you to strengthen your body’s functions that keep you alive and help to keep you fit for life, including the aerobic, skeletal, muscular, neural, core and balance systems. Many of these options to road cycling are also great alternatives as winter approaches.

In addition to laying out the numerous alternatives to road cycling that can help you work your key systems, the article includes a section on circuit strength training, with focused exercises to work your legs, chest, upper back, core, shoulders, and more. And it includes additional information on weight-bearing activities, flexibility and balance, as well as guidance on choosing your activities and fitting it all into your life.

“Through Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond: Fit for Life you’ll discover that, like me, you can have a heck of a lot of fun and that adding a variety of non-road activities to your physical play can actually make you a fitter roadie who has more fun, too,” concludes Coach Hughes.